Combined filling and closing machine



J. c. TALIAFERRO ET AL COMBINED FILLING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed June28 1921 3 Sneets-Sheet J May 4,1926. 1,583,627

1]. C. TALIAFERRO ET AL COMBINED FILLING AND CLOSING MACHINE I FiledJune 28, -l92l (Sheets-Sheet 2 Y May 4,1926. l;583,627

J. C. TALIAFERRO ET AL COMBINED FILLING AND CLOS I NG MACHINE Filed June28. 1921 4 Shets-Sheet s :3 I/Am gmmtm 5 a of May 4 1926.

. 1,583,627 J.C.TAUAFERRO ETAL COMBINED FILLING AND CLOSING MACHINEFiled June 28, 1921 4 SheetSrSh96t/4 i atented May 4, 1926.

UNITED STATES PAT seer nvanasts cow JOKE-3' C TALIAFERRO, OF BALTIMORE,MARYLAND, AND ALFRED I KRQNQUEST, E CEICAGG, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS 'lOCONTINENTAL CAN COMPANY, QF $YRACUSE, NEW YORK, A'CORPORA'IION OF NEWYORK.

COMBINED FILLING AND CLOSING MACHXNE.

Application filed June 28, 1921. Serial No. 481,126.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itlmown that we, J on): C. 'Ianmnnnno and ALFRED L. Knononns'r,citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Baltimore,Maryland, and Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of'lllinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Filling andClosing Machines, of which the following is a description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of referencemarked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in combined fillingand 010s ing machines for cans, and more particularly to a feedingmechanism for receiving the filled cans from the filling machine and fordelivering the same to the closing machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type,wherein the cans are under positive control from the time that theyleave the filling stations in the filling machine until they aredelivered to the closing stations at the closing machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine. of the abovetype, wherein the cans are not only under positive control, but whereinthe censure accelerated during their travel from the filling machine tothe closing machine, so as to properly space the cans for the closingstations at the closing machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of theabove type, wherein the cans are slowed down or retarded during theirtravel from the filling machine to the closing machine for the purposeof inspection and the removing or placing of liquid in the cans, afterwhich they are accelerated to properly space the same. for the closingmachine.

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide a machine of theabove type. wherein filied cans are delivered by the filling machinedirectly on to a rotating drum having a, spirally wound thread there-onwhich operates .to positively move the cans, said drum being so disposedas to deliver the cans directly to the assembling turretof the closingmachine. 1

A'further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the abovetype, wherein thread on the feeding drum is so shaped as to acceleratethe luoveimnts'of the cans as they are delivered to the asseinbiingturret. i

A further object. of the invention is to pro vide a machine of the abovetype, wherein the thread on the drum is so shaped as to retard themovements oi? the cans during their travel intermediate the ends of thedrum. These and other objects will in Dart obvious and will in part behereinafter more fully disclosed. In the drawings which show b way ofillustration one embodiment of tile invention Figure 1 is a plan viewshowing in part a combined filling and closing machine embodying ourimprovements; Figure 2 is a view partly in section an partly in frontelevation of the closing ma.- chine and a portion of the feeding drum;

Figure 3 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in section,showing a portion of the filling; machine and a. portion of the feedingdrum;

l igure at is a view on the line 1% of Fig. 3 showing the receiving endor" the feeding drum and a portion of the filiing machine;

Figure is a view in horizontal section, on the line 5-5 of Figure 2,showing the operating mechanism for rotating the drum:

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line G(3 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a 77 of Figure 2.

The invention consists hroadly inn combined filling and closing machineand has to do particularly with the feeding means which receives thecans as they are delivered by the filling macl 'ne and conveys the sameto and delivers the cans one after another to the closing machine. Thefilling machine may be of any desired construction 50. long,

as it is of the continuous rotary type hov1ng..

a plurality of filling stations, so that cans may be fed continuouslyinto said filling machine; be filled whlle they are moving and withoutstopping; and be delivered to the feeding mechanism which conveys thecans to the closing machine. The closing n1a chine may also he of anydesired type so long as it is of the continuous rotary type having aplurality of closingstations which receive the filled cans while theyare moving and closing: the cans while they are moving, so

sectional view on the line that the cans they are fed into the fillingmachine are moving -forward and do not stop their movement until afterthey are closed and delivered from the closing machine. The closingmachine preferably is provided with an assembling turret which receivesthe filled cans from, the feeding mechanism, places the cover thereonand delivers the filled can and cover assembled in proper timing to theclosing stations.

The improved feeding mechanism includes devices which operate topositively control and feed the can from the time that it is taken froma filling station until it reaches the closing station, and preferablythe can is under continuous movement during all this time. The feedingmechanism, furthermore, includes devices which are of such a characteras to gradually accelerate the movement-of. the can before it is closed,so as to avoid stopping or spilling which occurs when any quick movementis given to a filled can. Furtheri'nore, these feeding devices are arranged in a straight line, so that the can is received on a tangent tothe'rotating turret of the filling machine and delivered on a tangent tothe rotating assembling turret oi the closing machine. It is well knownthat when a can travels in a curved line centril' ugal force tends tothrow the liquid content out of the can,'but when the can travelsforward in a straight line, then this spilling action of centrifugalforce is entirely done away with. i

In the preferred form of the invention, the means for receiving andfeeding the cans from the filling machine to the closing machineconsists of a rotating drum having a thread wound thereon. The cans arere.- ceived directlyfrom the filling stations by the drum, are movedforward positively, said thread being so constructed as to acceleratethe movement of the cans and propcrly space them for the pockets of theassembling turret, and the drum delivers said cans directly to saidassembling turret. The covers are placed on the cans j uSt as. theyreach the assembling turret and the fasscmv bled cover and can is thenfed directly into the closing machine. This thread on the drum may alsobe so constructed as to slow up the travel of the can and, if desired,

bring the can almost to a stop, which aids {greatly 1n the inspection ofthe can and permits an operator to remove some bf its liquld cmtent, ifit istoo full, or to put liquid cqntentinto the can, it it'is' not full\enougln iAd'ter the can has passed the region ot inspect-ion, then 1tmay be quickly accel- \erated by a change in the shaping of the \thrcad,but such acceleration will be so gradual that there is no spilling ofthe content of the can.

'\ Referring more in detail to the drawings, the closing machine asillustrated is of the the means for receiving and timing the cans forthe assembling turret, and by increasing the number of seaming stations.

Said closing machine consists of a supporting frame 1, on which ismounted the rotating turret 2, which, as shown in the presentembodin'ient of thei'nvention, is pro vided with eight closing stations,each of which is indicated at Each of these closing stations includes achuck spindle i. carrying a chuck, a rotatable support 5 on which thecan is placed, a half mold 6 for rounding up the can body and centeringthe can end relative thereto, and a scathing roll T. It will'bcunderstom'l. o'tcourse, that. this closing mechanism may be greatlyvaried and the specific form shown is purely for the purpo e ofillustrating one form of continuously operating closing machines.

Filled cans are delivered to the closing machine by the assemblingturret Said assemblingturret has eight pockets, each of which isindicated at 9. Each assembling pocket has half molds it) and theassembling turret. is so timed that the half mold of one of theassembling pockets co-opcratcs with the half mold of the closing stationin.

rounding up the can bodies preliminary to the scaling of the coversthereon and the attachment of the cover to the can body.v The covers arestacked in a stack-holder 11 and are fed one at a time on to therotating assembling turret directly over the half mold pocket therein.The covers may be marked by a suitable marking device, indicated at12,'i't' desired. The assembling turret is providcd with a gear wheel 13which meshes with a gear wheel 14. carried by the rotating turret of theclosing machine proper. This serves as a means for operating theassembling turret from the seaming turret oi the closing machine.

The filling machine, as illustrated in the drawings, is of the typeshown in the patents to Hansen, granted, respectively, June 27, 19.16,hlo. 1,188,7(5i and May lg-1920, No. 14389Q6th Said filling machineconsists of means of a shaft 20, which shaft 20 carries a beveled gear21 meshing with a beveled gear 'msuitablc support 15, on which ismounted a rotating turret 16. Said turret as shown in osses? 22 on thespindle which carries the rotating turret and the parts of the fillingmachine. Mounted onsaid shaft 20 is one member of a clutch 24c which isadapted to cooperate with another clutch member 25 loosely mounted ontheshaft. 'Said clutch member 25Iis driveirby a sprocket chain 26 whichruns over a sprocket Wheel connected to the clutch member 25 and asprocket wheel on a v a face gear 84 fixed to the turret of the closingmachine. 1 Thus the closing machine rotates the turret and through theshaft 27 also rotates the filling machine, so that the rotating arms 17of the filling machine will have a predetermined timed movement relativeto the closing stations of the closing machine. I

The cans are received from thefilling machine by a rotating feeding drum35 which is fixed to the shaft 27, and rotates there with. Saiddrumisprovided with a thread 36. This feeding drum isof the generaicharacter of feeding drums shown in the patent granted to L. C.Krummel'and d. (l. Taliaferro, August 17, 1969,1 10. 931, 554. The cansare guided as they are moved by the arms 17 by a guide rail 37 which iscircular. The frame work of the machine is cut away so that thereceiving end of the drum extends underneath the rotating arm 17 and thedrum is in tangential alinernent I i with the curved support 18 alongwhich the cans are slid. The filled can will be moved on to the feedingdrum by the arms 17.

' There are two spaced supporting members 38 and 39 directly. over thedrum, and the thread of the drum extendsup between said supportingmembers, as shown more clearly in Figure 9. Thesupporting member 38 isprovided with .a guide rail 40. The drum rotates in the direction of thearroiv in Figure 7 and the can bodies will be forced forward andlaterally against the rail 40. As the rail limits their sidewisemovement, then the can bodies will move fomvard along said supports 38and 39., It will. he noted that the support 18 of the filling'machi-neis at the delivery end 'thereot' at the same level as the supports 38and 39, and also that these supports'38 and 39 are on the same level asthe support of the closing machine along which the cans are slid intosaid closing machine. Inasmuch as these supports are ail on the samelevel the can will pass from.

machine.

semhling turret.

one onto the other Without any tilting or,

movement which would tend to spill the filled contents thereof.

As above noted, the center of the line of travel of the cans along thefeeding drum is tangential to the curved path of travel of the cans asthey are led through the closing.

The thread 36 of the drum, hetween the ends of the drum, is preferablychanged as to inclination so that the filled cans are slowed up orretarded in their movement, at the point indicated at X, for example, orin this region This gives an operator opportunity to better inspect thecontents of the filled can, to remove some oi its liquid content, ifdesirable, or to iill in other liquid content, if there is notsufficient in the can. After the can has been retardedfor inspection, itis then accelerated and brought back to its normal speed to travel untilit reaches near the delivery end of the drum, when the thread asindicated at 36, is Wound on a much greater inclination or increasedpitch, so as to move the can for- Ward quite rapidly, but the incrementsot advance in speed are so small. and gradual that no sloppingorspilling of the oc- Eli curs. This speeding up of the can places the canin a pocket of the assembling; turret and properly spaces the cans sothat they will he placed one. after another in the peel-sets of theassembling turret as they reach the end of the drum. The cover has beenplaced on the assembling turret and any suitable means may he providedso that when no can is to he into a pocket, no cover will he placed inthe pocket. The can and assembled cover are carried along by the pocketsin the assembling turret and into the closing turret of theclosingmachine. assemhlin r turret are spaced the same dis 'tance as hepockets in the closing machine. The line of travel of the cans Whilepassing along the drum is tangential to the curred path of travel of thecans while in the as- It will he noted that she can While it is heingfilled moves in a curved path, It then mores in a straight line as itleaves Le filling machine and continues in a straight line path of trai"until. reaches the assembling turret Wllfilo the cover placed over thetop of the can before its path of travel changes to a curved path. Thuswhile the can is uncovered, its path of travel is substantially astraight line.

In feeding mechanisms, as heretofore de si ed the filled can is causedto travel lira The pockets in the radially of a rotating member toincrease the c speed of travel of the can. This moving of the can in acurved path and radially it travels in the curredpath is liable tospill,

owing to the centrifugal force acting upon the liquid content thereof.By our improved feeding mechanism, where the path of travel till of thecan is a straight line path of travel from the filling machine to theclosing machine and during the accelerating ot the niovements'ot thecan. there is no centrifugal force acting on the liquid content'to causespilling.

It is obvious that in.-;tead of using a drumwith a thread wound thereonother forms of feeding devices may be used from the broadest aspect ofthe invention, which consists in feeding the filled cans in a straightline of travel during the time that they are accelerated to change thespacing of the cans as delivered by the filling machine to a properspacing of the cans for the closing machine. We prefer to use a spirallywound thread for accomplishing this feeding of the filled cans for thereason that it i'eadily adapts itself to the retarding of the movementof filled can and the accelerating of the movement of the filled canwith little or no spilling as the change in themoven'ients may be verygradually producedthrough the changing of the pitch o't'wthe thread onthe drunn lVhile we have. shown the thread as wound on a drum, it willalso be noted that a skeleton support maybe piovided for the thread.Here, again. the essential feature consists in the thread it; it whichthe, active element for the feeding of the cans the drum being merelythe supporting means for supporting and turning the thread, and, otcourse, other means could be used in place theleot.

It is obvious that minor changesin the details of construction andarrangement of parts may be made wthout departing -from the spirit ofthe invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Havingthus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A combined filling and closing machine comprising a filling machinehaving a framework, a curved stationary support carried by saidframework along which the calls may he slid, rotating arms for slidingthe cans along said support, a closing machine, a straight-line supportleading from said filling machine to said closing machine, the frameworkoi said filling machine being cut away so that said straight-linesupport may extend into said filling machine to a point where it istangentially in alinemcnt With said curved support, and means extendingbeneath the'arms of said filling machine and along said straight-linesupport for receiving the timed tilled cans from the rotaing arms andmoving the same along said straight-line support and into the closingmachine, whereby said' cans are transferred from thefilling machine tothe straightline conveying means without lateral movement.

2. A combined filling and closing nachina comprising a filling machinelfaymg a framework, a curved stationary spp'pbrt carried bysaidframework along Wh oh the cans may be slid, rotating arms for slidingthc cans along said support, a closing machine, a straight-line supportleading from.

the closing machine, whereby said cans are transferred from the fillingmachine to the straight-line conveying means without lateral movement,said stationary su ort of the titling machine and said straight-linesupport leading from said filling machine bemg on substantially the samelevel whereby the cans may be transferred from one to the other withoutbeing tilted.

2.). A combined filling and closing machine for cans comprising afilling machine having a support for the cans to be filleihnieans forsliding the cans along said support in spaced timed relation toeaclnother, a closing machine ha ring a support for the filled cans tobe closed, means for moving the cans con tinuously along the supportofthe closing machine in spaced timed relation to each other, a supportextending from the filling ma hine to the closing machine in a straightline, and means for receiving the timed filled cans from the fillingmachine and moving the same continuously along said last named supportand delivering the said cans in proper timed relation to the means formoving the cans along the support of the closing machine, said means formoving the cans along the straight line support being constructed so asto slow up-the can intermediate the ends of said straight line supportso that the filled cans can be inspected.

et. A combined filling and closing machine for ans comprising a fillingmachine-having a support for the cans to be filled, means for slidingthe cans along said support in spaced timed relation to each other, aclosing machine having a support for filled cans to be closed, means formoving the cans along the support. of the closing machine in spacedtimed relation to each other, a' support for the filled cans extendingfrom the closingmachine to the filling machine, means for receiving thetimed filled cans from the filling machine and moving the same alongsaid last named support and delivering the same in proper timed relationto the means for moving the trans along the support of the closingmachine, said means for moving the l to 1,5saee7 cans along the supportbetween the filling and closing machines including a drum having aspiral thread \vound thereon, said spiral thread being shaped so as toretard the speed of travel of the cans between the filling and closingmachines to allow inspection of the contents of the can.

5. A combined fillin and closing machine for cans comprising a fillingmachine having a curved support for the cans to be filled, rotatingmeans for sliding the cans along said support in spaced timed relationto each other, a closing machine having a support for the filled cans tohe closed, rotating means for moving the cans along the sup port of theclosing machine in a circular path in spaced timed relation to eachother, a straight line support for the filled cans connecting thefilling machine and the closing machine, said straight line supportbeing disposed in a line tangential to the curved path of travel of thecans in the filling ma chine and closing machine, and means forreceiving the cans from thefilling machine 1 and sliding the same alongsaid straight line sort and delivering said cams to the closmacltine. dA combined filling and closing machine for cans comprising a fillingmachine having curved support for the cans tobe filled, rotating meansfor slidin the cans along said sup-port in spaced timed relation to eachother, a closing machine having a support for the filled cans to beclosed, rotating means for moving the cans along the support of theclosing machine in a circular path in spaced timed relation to eachother, a straight line support for the filled cans connecting thefilling machine and the dos machine, said straight line support beingdisposed in a line tangential to the curved path of travel of the cansin the filling ma chine and closing machine, and means for receiving thecans from the filling machine and sliding the same along said straightline support and delivering said cans to the closing machine, ,aid lastnamed means including a rotating drum having a spiral thread thereon. U

7. A' combined filling and closing machine for cans comprising a fillingmachine having a curved support for the cans to be filled, rotatingmeans for sliding the cans along said support in spaced timed relationto each other, a closing machine having a support for the filled cans'tobe'closed, rotating means for moving the cans along the support of theclosing machine in a circular path in spaced timed relation to eachother,

a straight line'support for the filled cans connecting the fillingmachine and the clos ing machine, said straight line support beingdisposed, in a iinetangential to the. curved path of travel of the cansin the filling maci ia-s nd. c osing mach ne, ands-arcane for receivingthe cans from the filling machine and sliding the same along saidstraight line Support and delivering said cans to the closing machine,said last named means including a rotating drum having a spiral threadthereon, and said thread being so formed as toretard the travel of thecans for inspection on said straight line support and to accelerate theans for delivering the same to the closing machine.

8. A combined filling and closing-machine comprising a filling machinehaving a framework, a curved stationary support carried by saidframework, along which the cans may he slid, rotating arms for slidingthecans along said support, a closing machine. a straight-line supportleading from the fill ing machine to the closing machine, includingspaced members for supporting the cans, said spaced members being onsubstantially the same level as the curved statiomiry support, meansassociated with said spaced.

members for guiding the cans along said spaced members, a rotating drumassociated with said spaced members and having a spiral thread extendingup between said members for engaging the cans and sliding then alongsaid support, the framework of said filling'machine being cut away sothat said. straight-line support and drum may extend into the fillingmachine to a point where it is tangentially in alinement with the curvedsupport,'and whereby said spiral thread on the drum may engage the cansbefore they are released by the rotating arms so that said cans will bemoved continuously and the timing thereof preserved from the fillingmachine on to said straight-line support and into said closing machine.

9. A closing machine for filled cans comprising a series of seamingdevices equally spaced and traveling continuouslyin a circular path, arotating turret having members for receiving the filled cans and forpresenting the same in succession to the seaming devicesya straight linesupport and guiding device arranged substantially at a,

tangent to the path of travel of the can receiving members at the pointWhere the filled cans are delivered thereto a feed drum extendinglengthwise of said support and having the end thereof extending beneathsaid rotating can receiving members, said feed drum having a threadformed thereon for feeding the cans along said support, said threadbeing shaped and timed so as to place the cans in succession inthereceiving members of the rotating turret.

A closing machine for filled cans comprising a series of'seamingdevice-s equally spaced and traveling continuously in a circular path, arotating turret having pockets forms therein spaced the same distance asthe seaming devices and operating to present. tilled cans in successionto said seaming ole inc vices, a straight line support and guidingdevice arranged substantially at a tangent to the path ol. travel of thepockets in said rotating turret at the point where the filled cans aredelivered to said pockets. ,a feed drum extending lengthwise of saidsupport 'and having the end thereof extending beneathsaid rotatingpockets, said felt drum having the thread thereof provided with 'agraduall increased pitch at the delivery end of the drum, said threadbeing shaped and timed so as to accelerate the filled cans, properlyspace the same, and place said filled.

eans in the pockets of H -rotating turrets.

11. l\ closing mar (or filled cans comprising a series ol seamingdevices equally spaced and traveling continuously in a circula'r path, ahalt mold associated \vitl-Yeach seaming device, a rotating assemblingtur ret having half molds'spaced the same 'CllS- tanee as the half moldsassociated with the seannng devices, said assembling turret rotatingcontinuously and timed so that the half molds thereof cooperatewit-lithe halt molds-associated with the seaming devices for rounding upand presenting the filled cans to the seaming devices, a straight linesupport and guiding device arranged ,at a

, tangent to said assembling turretat the point where the cans aredeliveredj thereto, a threaded drum located beneath 1 d support andpositioned so that the thread projects above the support for moving thefilled cans along the support, said drum having the end thereot'adjacent the assembling turret extending beneath the traveling halfmolds thereof and shaped and timedso as to present the filled cans insuccession to said half molds of the assembling turret.

12. The combination of a closing machine for tilled cans comprising aseries of seaming devices equally spaced and traveling continuously in acircular path, a rotating assembling turret having a series of pocketsthread thereon for engaging the filled cans and moving the same alongthe supporting members, said spiral thread being shaped and timed so asto place the filled cans in succession in the pockets of the rotatingturret.

In testimony whereof, we affix our signatures. v

JOHN C. TALIAFERRO. 4 ALFRED L. KRONQUEST.

